Common educational curricula have been suggested to be advantageous in enhancing the stability of the community of nations. This paper describes a multinational curriculum design effort by four Pacific rim nations (Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States) which has created a common curriculum program. This joint venture resulted in…

The space shuttle simulation, Totally Enclosed Modular Environment (TEME), was developed as a means for students to study group dynamics and how people adapt to their environment. This paper highlights features of this project. Topics reviewed include: (1) its historical development (tracing its origins as a year-long ecology course to current…

This conference was convened to identify the most important problems and opportunities facing science teaching in secondary schools and to suggest the most practical means of addressing them. The report highlights issues involving science and technology education which were addressed at the conference. Information is presented in three major…

A self-paced program designed to integrate the use of computers and physics courseware into the regular classroom environment is offered for physics high school teachers in this module on projectile and circular motion. A diversity of instructional strategies including lectures, demonstrations, videotapes, computer simulations, laboratories, and…

Academic learning experiences provided during a unit on genetics were examined in this case study report of two honors biology classes. It was conjectured that the nature of students' work and how it is handled by teachers affects how students attend, how they process information, what skills they practice, how they are evaluated and ultimately…

This six-chapter document (part of a series on biology and human welfare) focuses on ecology, ecosystem management, and biology teaching. Chapter 1 discusses the basic elements of ecology (considering organisms and their environment, populations, and communities and ecosystems). Chapter 2 describes several aspects of human ecology and resources…

The purpose of the Exemplary Practice in Science and Mathematics Education (EPSME) study was to identify high quality science and mathematics teaching, to document exemplary practice through case studies, and to investigate key characteristics common to exemplary teaching in different sites. This paper discusses the case studies which considered…

This paper describes the Scientific Tools and Techniques course for ninth grade students in the Dekalb County, Georgia, public high schools. The course is offered at the Fernbank Science Center, a magnet school owned by the Dekalb County Schools and Fernbank Incorporated and operated by the school system. Investigations are described in the…

Computer software packages that are commercially available for physics instruction are compiled in this paper. Information for each program includes: the broad subject category (i.e., mechanics, waves and sound, heat and thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, optics and light, modern physics, mathematical models, or general reference/testing…

Designed to provide teachers with new knowledge about the goals of science instruction and practical recommendations for instructional practice, this second of a three part series of guidebooks describes recent findings about intermediate science instruction with particular attention given to how teachers spontaneously use scientific literacy in…

Designed to provide teachers with new knowledge about the goals of science instruction and practical recommendations for instructional practice, this third of a three part series of guidebooks provides guidance for teachers in incorporating the scientific literacy components into different scientific topics. A review is provided of the major…

Designed to assist teachers in the improvement of science instruction at the secondary level, this third of a three part series of guidebooks of the Opportunity Systems in Science and Technology Study Series provides information and exercises on evaluating science programs and teaching. Initially a review is presented of the components of…

This module brings together in a panel discussion opposing views and supporting data on the first Philippine nuclear power plant in Morong, Bataan. It extends the discussion of issues and ideas about nuclear power in the dialogue "Go Nuclear" (which should be read before starting this panel discussion). The module deals with the…

This document is a checklist for use by science coordinators, school principals, science department chairpersons and teachers in identifying strengths and weaknesses of science programs in middle and high schools. It can also be used by science coordinators during school visits. This guide contains space for recording information concerning:…

Recent research in cognitive science and science education suggests that science-naive individuals have an understanding of the natural world based on their interpretation of everyday experience. This can make the process of conceptual change difficult. This paper presents ideas related to the acquisition of knowledge in astronomy. A theoretical…